By Jacob Ezra
Chelsea Reject- “Grounded”
Chelsea Reject has recently been garnering significant buzz out of Brooklyn, NY, and she dropped off a solid recent project with BUBBLE GRL. Her warm, breezy sound is refreshing in tone, as she seamlessly blending hip-hop and R&B elements for a dynamic listen. The opening song on BUBBLE GRL, “Grounded”, is a prime example of this, with its laid-back yet assured sound that reflects its themes of remaining grounded and true to oneself despite external opinions and influences. She possesses maturity and focus as a songwriter across the 10 diverse tracks on her recent project BUBBLE GRL, and “Grounded” is definitive of this early in the project’s track-list.
Jay Wood- “OVERACHIEVER”
Jay Wood caught our attention this month for his strong new track “OVERACHIEVER”. Hailing from the fertile Chicago music scene, which has produced many overlooked artists of late, Wood further imprints himself as a noteworthy voice from the region with “OVERACHIEVER”. The song has an anthemic quality to it, while remaining self aware in a way that makes its grandiose sonics feel natural. His vocal melodies are smooth yet confident, merging with the expansive, sleek instrumentation to give the release added replay value.
Nick Rose- “Pulp Fiction”
Connecticut artist Nick Rose shares his first single of 2023 with “Pulp Fiction”, an energizing track that showcases his ability to blend genres with ease. Characterized by raw synths and punchy percussion that give the track dashes of synth-punk, “Pulp Fiction”’s pulsating rhythm is immediately recognizable and catchy. Mixing elements of punk and alt-pop, Rose’s vocals contain an undertone of urgency that grips the listener from the get-go.
Hidden Renaissance, kllz- “New Friends, Same Old Pains”
Rich grooves and organic-sounding samples characterize the prolific Hidden Renaissance’s recent project BARBAROIS, and one standout track from early in the record is “New Friends, Same Old Pains”, with production from kllz. The track demonstrates the attention to detail seen in a lot of the Hidden Renaissance collective’s work, while elevating its sound to new heights with rumbling bass, vivid samples, and infectious percussion. It’s a solid dose of instrumental hip-hop that feels effortless and well thought-out simultaneously.
Johnny VùDOE- “introducing”
This track was technically released at the end of March, but this is one of my favourite tracks from 2023 so far and certainly deserves an inclusion. The Bronx’s Johnny VùDOE makes his presence known with a free-spirited track that kicks off his soulful EP 2pieceAAbiscuit. His lyrical abilities shine through atop the textural instrumentation, as his ability to paint vivid pictures within his verses becomes clear. For an unassuming, carefree track packed with inherent talent, check out VùDOE’s “introducing”, as well as his project 2pieceAAbiscuit.
ROUNDHOUSE MUSIC 